Book · 2021 · Fiction
Crossroads
A Novel
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen has been mentioned in 7 episodes across 4 podcasts (2 episodes recommend it and 5 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Dave Kim (1 episode), Ray Madoff (1 episode) and Anna Dubenko (1 episode) on The Book Review (4 episodes), How I Write (1 episode) and The Daily Stoic (1 episode).
- episodes
- 7
- podcasts
- 4
- people
- 9
- episodes recommend it
- 2
Fiction at any time, and particularly in these times, is just a fantastic place to live, to explore other things than the world that we’re living in.
Questions about Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
Who recommends Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen on podcasts?
Dave Kim (1 episode) and Ray Madoff (1 episode) have recommended Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen on podcasts. In all, 9 people brought it up across 4 podcasts (2 people recommended it).
Which podcasts mention Crossroads the most?
The Book Review (4 episodes), How I Write (1 episode), The Daily Stoic (1 episode) and The Ezra Klein Show (1 episode).
Is Crossroads recommended, or only discussed?
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen was recommended in 2 episodes and discussed without a recommendation in 5 episodes, as of 2026-04-17.
What do people say about Crossroads?
Ray Madoff on The Ezra Klein Show (2026-04-17): "Fiction at any time, and particularly in these times, is just a fantastic place to live, to explore other things than the world that we’re living in."
When was Crossroads last mentioned on a podcast?
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen was last recommended on The Ezra Klein Show by Ray Madoff on 2026-04-17.
What they say about it
- Discussing the author's work“new novel in the context of these big books”3
- Reading it currently“reading Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads right now”2
The best things said about it
It was a tough book to put down.
I decided to pick up Crossroads, which I absolutely loved.
That's certainly true of this new novel Crossroads, where he's clearly drawn upon his own experiences as a young person in a church group.
I'm reading Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads right now, and it's great, but I've already forgotten parts at the beginning of the book.
Chuck Klosterman The Daily Stoic · Apr 2022 Where and when it comes up
Most episodes, by podcast
9 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Jonathan Franzen's novel "Crossroads" is a sprawling domestic drama set during the early 1970s that delves deep into the moral crises and religious yearnings of a suburban Chicago family. Ray Madoff recommended the work on The Ezra Klein Show as a fantastic piece of fiction to inhabit during turbulent times, and Dave Kim praised it on The Book Review as a gripping book that was difficult to put down. Anna Dubenko discussed on The Book Review how she returned to Franzen after previously writing him off and absolutely loved the novel. Thomas Mallon joined Gilbert Cruz on The Book Review to analyze Franzen's career trajectory, discussing how "Crossroads" draws directly upon the author's own youth in a church group and examining the book alongside Franzen's earlier major literary works like "The Corrections," "Freedom," and "Purity." Meanwhile, David Perell briefly referenced the novel on How I Write while discussing writers who craft remarkable sentences.
Every mention
Dave Kim and it was a tough book to to put down and the title is is Crossroads by Jonathan fransen 1
“and it was a tough book to to put down and the title is is Crossroads by Jonathan fransen”
Ray Madoff And the last book is a book of fiction, the book "Crossroads" by Jonathan Franzen, fiction at any time, and… 1
“And the last book is a book of fiction, the book "Crossroads" by Jonathan Franzen, fiction at any time, and particularly in these times, is just a fantastic place to live, to explore other things than the world that we’re living in.”
Anna Dubenko I decided to go back to an author I had totally written off who I had first read in high school which is on… 1
“I decided to go back to an author I had totally written off who I had first read in high school which is one Jonathan Franzen I read the corrections in high school and then I decided to pick up Crossroads which I absolutely loved”
Chuck Klosterman I'm reading Jonathan franzen's crossroads right now and it's great and I've already forgotten Parts at the… 1
“I'm reading Jonathan franzen's crossroads right now and it's great and I've already forgotten Parts at the beginning of the book”
“I'm reading Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads right now, and it's great, but I've already forgotten parts at the beginning of the book.”
David Perell I was thinking more of a you know who wrote Crossroads and Connections? Jonathan um what the hell's his name? 1
“I was thinking more of a you know who wrote Crossroads and Connections? Jonathan um what the hell's his name?”
Gilbert Cruz novelist and critic Thomas malan will join us to talk about franzen's latest book Crossroads 1
“novelist and critic Thomas malan will join us to talk about franzen's latest book Crossroads”
Greg Cowles that's Jonathan fransen's Crossroads the main character is the associate pastor at a church and the whole s… 1
“that's Jonathan fransen's Crossroads the main character is the associate pastor at a church and the whole setting millia of the book takes place against this church”
Pamela Paul where does this novel Crossroads fall for you in the kind of Pantheon of Jonathan France and novels it's a… 1
“where does this novel Crossroads fall for you in the kind of Pantheon of Jonathan France and novels it's a lot better than Purity the one that preceded it”
Thomas Mallon tried to review this new novel in the context of these big books from the corrections on the corrections Fr… 1
“tried to review this new novel in the context of these big books from the corrections on the corrections Freedom Purity and now Crossroads the books that people have really I think been aware of”
“I think when he moved away from families in Purity the novel that preceded Crossroads I think that was when he really in a way ran into trouble”
“that's certainly true of this new novel Crossroads where he's clearly drawn upon his own experiences as a young person in a church group”
“A reader of crosswords will have those moments there's a character Francis catrell who she's part of this Suburban church group”
Other mentions (5: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Um, and because because that's a way to within this well-ordered bourgeoa world, which is for better or worse the world I have to work with, it is a way to find more extreme emotional states and also get a more vivid kind of writing because if you hook into somebody who's like literally going crazy like in Crossroads, yeah,”
“there's a new novel by Paul auster called Bal Gartner”
“and of course fransen's new Trilogy is is titled after something in Middle March so we're connecting Dots here”
“I may not have read more than those and Crossroads but I like cross roads less than the corrections are Freedom”
“the new novel by Jonathan fransen Crossroads”